1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to dispensing fluids and, in particular, to dispensing high viscosity fluids. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing a high viscosity fluid, such as sealant, onto a surface from a desired distance away from the surface in a desired spray pattern.
2. Background
Assembly operations oftentimes require applying sealant to various locations. For example, without limitation, during the assembly of an aircraft, sealant may be applied to joints and fastener elements to seal faying surfaces, protect components, prevent leakages, and/or reduce undesired electromagnetic effects. As one illustrative example, sealant may be applied over a fastener element installed at an outer surface of an object to prevent any fluid from escaping the object and/or entering the object.
Oftentimes, sealant may be manually dispensed from a sealant cartridge and applied. However, the manual dispensing and application of the sealant may be more time-consuming and/or difficult than desired. In some cases, a sealant cartridge may be mounted onto a robot that is used to dispense the sealant from the sealant cartridge. However, these different processes may require more frequent replacements of sealant cartridges than desired. Further, these types of processes may require more cleanup of spills and/or excess sealant.
Additionally, some currently available methods for dispensing sealant may be unable to dispense sealant in a desired pattern at desired distances. In particular, the accuracy of the pattern formed by the sealant dispensed from these currently available methods for dispensing sealant may decrease as the distance between the sealant dispensing system and the surface onto which the sealant is being applied increases.
Working with sealant using some currently available methods for dispensing sealant may be more difficult than desired, depending on the viscosity of the sealant. Typically, sealants having viscosities above, for example, without limitation, about 10,000 centiPoise (cP), may be more difficult to dispense in a desired pattern with a desired level of accuracy than desired.
Further, some currently available methods and systems for dispensing sealant may be unable to dispense sealant in desired patterns based on the types of interfaces that are to be sealed. For example, without limitation, some currently available sealant dispensing systems may be unable to dispense sealant in one pattern to seal a seam interface, another pattern to seal a cross-seam interface, and yet another pattern to seal the interface between a fastener head and the surface in which the fastener head has been installed. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.